William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: Head Hunters : Year: 1973; Genre: Jazz Fusion This one really paints a vivid mood with the incredible music. The song is a great one to just sit back, relax and let the tune carry you away.   Hear Vein Melter on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Steve Vai - The Blood & Tears   My song pick 2 years ago today: Melvins - Don't Forget to Breathe My song pick 3 years ago today: Simple Minds - Sanctify Yourself My song pick 4 years ago today: Bob Dylan - If Not For You My song pick 5 years ago today: Garbage - Supervixen My song pick 6 years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Look at the World My song pick 7 years ago today: Foreigner - Blue Morning, Blue Day My song pick 8 years ago today: Voivod - Mechanical Mind My song pick 9 years ago today: Quasar - Fanfare/Seeing Stars My song pick 10 years ago today: Waylander - A Hero's Lament My song pick 11 years ago today: Queen - Seaside Rendezvous My song pick 12 years ago today:...

From: Thrust ; Year: 1974; Genre: Funk/Jazz Fusion I love to revisit Herbie Hancock's Headhunters' records; perfect for this Funky Friday pick. This is a great 9-plus minute musical journey of epic proportions. Really though, if you think about it this album only has 4 songs on it and not one song less than 7 minutes in length. About the only genre outside of progressive rock/metal to make such large and interesting pieces of music. Hear Actual Proof on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Jethro Tull - Old Ghosts My song pick two years ago today: Rush - The Wreckers My song pick three years ago today: Ian Anderson - After These Wars My song pick four years ago today: Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal My song pick five years ago today: Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died My song pick six years ago today: Muse - Starlight My song pick seven years ago today: Styx - Lorelei My song pick eight years ago today: Three Dog Night - Never Been To Spain...

From: Head Hunters ; Year: 1973; Genre: Funk/Jazz Fusion Even though I had already chosen a song from him, I felt like picking another one of Herbie Hancock's tracks for this Funky Friday ; this one comes from his second backing ensemble: The Head Hunters. This one's got an infectious groove laid down by the bass playing of Paul Jackson and the percussion/drumming of Bill Summers and Harvey Mason. The keyboards and use of the synthesizers in particular along with the horns fill the lead and rhythm perfectly to make it a joy to listen to. Hear Chameleon on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Yes - Siberian Khatru My song pick two years ago today: Maddy Prior - Mother and Child My song pick three years ago today: Ludwig Van Beethoven - Op.13 - Piano Sonata No.8 " Pathétique " My song pick four years ago today: Chet Atkins - Tears My song pick five years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Tusk My song pick six years ago today: Fairport Convention - T...

From: Survival of the Fittest ; Year: 1975; Genre: Funk/Jazz Fusion It's another Funky Friday , (my 24th in a row), and the end of the month to boot. While the music is top-notch, the lyrics in this one leave something to be desired; you see the title of the song, yep that's all of the lyrics in the song; they get repeated and are used more as a rhythmic device than in the lead, melodic sense. Hear If You Got It, You'll Get It on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Billy Joel - Piano Man My song pick two years ago today: Pallas - Heart Attack My song pick three years ago today: Chet Atkins - Windy and Warm My song pick four years ago today: David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World My song pick five years ago today: Dire Straits - Industrial Disease My song pick six years ago today: Blues Image - Ride Captain Ride Picks for previous February 29ths (Leap Year Picks): My leap year pick on 2.29.12: Cheech & Chong - Cheborneck My leap year...

From: Survival of the Fittest ; Year: 1975; Genre: Funk/Jazz Fusion I almost forgot to pick a funk track today, which would've snapped my string of Funky Friday picks; today by the way is my 15th in a row. This is a rather famous track by Herbie Hancock's jazz/funk group The Headhunters and backed by The Pointer Sisters on the 9 minutes of funky jazz music. Hear God Make Me Funky on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Yes - Beyond & Before My song pick two years ago today: Billy Joel - The Downeaster 'Alexa' My song pick three years ago today: Oasis - Cast No Shadow My song pick four years ago today: Nightwish - Wanderlust My song pick five years ago today: Dizzy Gillespie - Salt Peanuts My song pick six years ago today: Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name

I found this track yesterday while doing an unrelated search; most Jazz musicians seem only to be separated by one or two degrees if that. I immediately fell in love with the song, (I am a sucker for some good Fusion and love Herbie Hancock's keyboard). Anyway, the song's title was a dedication to Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone. A very beautiful piece of Jazz Fusion with some Funk thrown in. Here is the studio version on YouTube. +